The innkeepers at Blueberry Cove Inn, Narragansett, RI invite you to their world of innkeeping. This is a behind the scenes look at their version of innkeeping.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Friday's FAQs: "Is it my imagination, or is it getting crowded in here?"

In "The Night at the Opera" Driftwood's broom closet of a room gets a bit crowded. At a circus it is hard to count how many clowns are tumbling out of the tiny car. At the Blueberry Cove Inn in lovely Narragansett you can always bet on the number of guests in any given B&B room: 2 human beings. (There might be up to six human beings in the Hideaway Suite so I guess it is a trick question.)

So why only two humans per room? There are two reasons. First and foremost, the Fire Code restricts us to two persons per room. After the Station nightclub disaster in 2003, Rhode Island enacted one of the strictest fire codes in the country. We quickly complied with the expensive new sprinkler and occupancy codes and will continue to do. (The code counts the Hideaway as a separate unit which is why we can allow up to six human beings in it.)

Secondly, in our early years when we would take anyone and everyone to pay the mortgage we learned that stumbling over the luggage of four guests in a room meant for two was a horrible way to make a living. We found that more than 16-18 people at breakfast ensured a miserable experience for guests and staff. What's the point of owning your own business if you are just going to make your life a nightmare?

Again, other properties have other policies. We strive to provide our guests with a comfortable and private get away experience and sticking to occupancy laws helps us meet that goal.